Where the Lines Overlap
by thewordsilack
Summary: While growing up in high school, Jamie Scott learns about the pressure about who he should be and young love sparks for Jamie for the first time. Sometimes 'Like father, like son' is the last thing you want to hear, over and over again.  Jamie/Madison/OC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"There's only a few seconds left and if the Ravens score, it's game." The voice over the gym's speaker system announced. "And it looks like number 12, Jamie Scott, is going to take the Tree Hill Ravens to yet, another victory."

Looking for an open spot, James Lucas Scott, ran to it. He called out for his teammate to pass him the ball. Once the ball was in his hands, he went towards the basket, running as fast as he could. It almost felt like his heart could stop beating at any second because he was trying so hard to race with the ticking clock.

The announcer watched as the young teenager set himself up for a three-pointer. All eyes were on Jamie and the ball as it left his fingertips. "And it looks like, Jamie Scott for the win!"

When the ball sailed through the net, the quiet gym went up in an uproar as the crowd whistled and shouted in excitement for their home team. The boys all gathered together and jumped in the air to celebrate their newest victory. They lifted Jamie up and the crowd cheered even louder. Putting him down, each team member gave him a pat on the back. Soon after, the cheerleaders joined in with the boys.

Feeling a tap on his shoulder, Jamie turned. A smile graced his face when he saw his girlfriend, Madison. He had known her since his childhood and they began dating when they had both started high school. Jamie had a crush on Madison when he was younger and he found out that she had one on him to. At a small party their freshman year, they shared their first kiss and were a couple from that day on.

He caught her in his arm when she hugged him. She held onto him tighter when he spun her around. Jamie ignored everyone congratualting him and only focused on Madison.

Jamie set her down and moved her hair that fell from her ponytail out of her face. Her green eyes locked onto his blue ones.

"Even though you reek, I can't believe how hot you looked running on the court."

Jamie smirked at her. "Does that mean, you find my sweat sexy?" He walked closer to her and trapped her in his arms.

"Jamie!" She squealed and tried to push him off of her. With her elbow, she jabbed into his abdomen. He didn't budge and she was getting annoyed with him. "Jamie, let me go."

He gave in and let her go. Jamie noticed that the celebrating was over and the team was heading into the locker room. "I should get going. Meet me back here when I'm done?"

She nodded. "Don't forget to shower!" She called after him. A sly smile spread across her face when the other guys were making catcalls to Jamie.

* * *

><p>Jamie walked out of the locker room to see that his parents and Brooke and Julian waiting for him. All of them had bright excited smiles on their faces. His father came to every game, home and away, while his mother only came to home games. She usually, stayed home with his younger sister during away games. For home games, his younger sister stayed over at friend's house. Brooke and Julian tagged along to home games to support Jamie and the team.<p>

Jamie smiled back at his family. His father gave him a strong pat on the back, "that last shot was amazing. Your late night practices are really paying off." He mumbeld that last part in his ear so his mother wouldn't hear.

"Thanks, Dad." Jamie told him.

His father winked at him as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Man, I missed watching basketball games." Brooke Davis-Baker commented. "I know I've probably told you this a million times but, you're a lot like your dad." Brooke told him as she gave him a tight hug.

Jamie nodded. It was true but, he never got tired of hearing the compliment.

"Only by looks." The older Scott said. "The attitude and playing is all Jamie."

"Yo, Jamie Scott! You coming?" One of Jamie's teammates shouted from across the gym.

Jamie turned back to his parents. "Aaron's having a victory party over at his place. I kind of need to be there, since I scored the final shot and all." Jamie told his parents as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"Do you now?" His mother raised her brow. She knew exactly what happened at parties like that. The years may have gone by but, the behaviors of the adolescents haven't changed entirely.

"You know that I won't do anything stupid." Jamie told them. "Madison will probably be there and I'll get a lift home from one of the guys." Jamie looked to his father, who shared his eyes. "So can I go?"

Nathan Scott looked straight at Jamie, knowing that he wouldn't do anything reckless. He had told his son some of his stories of what he was like back in high school before he met his mother. Those were moments that he wasn't proud of and he never wanted Jamie to feel that way about his life, especially at his age.

"Be home by curfew." Nathan told him. He motioned for Jamie to give him his gym bag. "I mean it, Jamie."

"Yes, sir." He nodded. "I'll see you when I get home." He bent down to give his mother a hug.

"Be safe." His mother patted her hands on his back before letting go of him. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks." Jamie told her before jogging to meet up with his friend. He turned back to his supportive group and couldn't believe how lucky he was to have them in his life.

"You think he'll be okay?" She asked her husband. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked out of the gym.

"He'll be fine, Hales." Nathan told her. "He's a Scott boy but, he also has you as a mother." He reassured her.

* * *

><p>A small ping pong ball missed the blue cup after being bounced on the table. A curse came from the player who missed. The ball was picked up and bounced back, landing in the cup. A cheer from the other side of the table sounded as they watched the boy drink.<p>

"Jamie Scott, keep those shots coming and we'll have a state championship and a very drunk Chuck." Aaron placed his hand on his shoulder and stood next to Jamie. He put his cup to his lips and drank.

Aaron was a senior starter on the team and took Jamie under his wing after learning who his father was and seeing how well he could play basketball. He planned on passing down his legacy to Jamie but, was still please after Jamie proved that he had a whole legacy of his own.

"Chuck, you might want to quit while you're ahead. I don't see you scoring on Scott anytime soon." He pointed over to the boy on the other side of the table.

"Shut up, man." Chuck slammed his cup on the table. With an unsteady hand, he lifted the ball and tried to aim for a cup. He missed the one he was aiming for but, it bounced off and landed in another cup. With a satisfied smile, Chuck crossed his arms over his chest. "Drink up, All-Star."

Aaron picked up the cup and handed it to Jamie. Jamie took the cup from him but, didn't raise it to his lips. His parents would kill him if they found out that he was drinking. He had always promised to be responsible and not give into any peer pressure. It was different now because he was in the popular circle and partying with seniors.

"What are you waiting for?" Aaron asked him.

Jamie looked over to Aaron, who had no problem drinking from his plastic cup. His eyes went back to his cup, looking inside. There wasn't that much so he figured it wouldn't make that big of a deal. Jamie shrugged, "nothing," and tossed his head back to drink from the cup. He tried not to squint his eyes at the bitter taste.

"Jamie?"

He stopped and put his cup down. Then he turned to look at Madison, who was standing with a few other random girls.

"Are you drinking?"

"Don't worry about it," Aaron cut in, "Chuck's such a bad shot that it Jamie won't even feel a buzz. Isn't that right, Scott?"

Jamie looked over to Chuck, who was already having his own affects from the alcohol. His eyes went back to Madison's. "Yeah, Chuck's not even that great of a player. The only reason he's on the team was because the coach feels sorry for him. Poor guy."

He hated saying it but, he had a choice. It was either take Aaron's side and look like an ass or take Madison's side and look like a pathetic whipped boyfriend. That was not how he wanted Aaron and the team to see him.

"I can't believe you." She hissed, dropping her linked arms from the other girls.

"Maddy, wait!" Jamie put down his empty cup as he moved through the people to catch up with her. An angry girlfriend was the last thing he wanted to deal with. Tonight was supposed to be about celebrating another win for the team and Madison was making it all about her, again."Mads!"

She stopped and didn't turn to face him. Jamie could see that she had crossed her amrs across her chest. "This isn't you. This isn't supposed to be how things are for you."

"What are you talking about?" He asked her with complete confusion.

Madison turned to face him. "Since when do you drink and make fun of Chuck? He's our best friend, Jamie. You know that he wasn't blessed with the same childhood as yours." She told him angrily.

"And you know that my childhood wasn't always cake, either. If anyone really has changed, it's you. You've turned into this girly cheerleader so, don't point the finger at me." Jamie found himself almost shouting at her.

It happened over the summer. Madison started caring about how people saw her and what they thought about her. She started buying different clothes and wearing makeup. At the beginning of the school year, she tried out for the cheer squad and got a spot. Madison told Jamie she did it because she just wanted to spend more time with him but, Jamie knew that Madison just wanted to be accepted.

Madison let out an offended huff. "This has nothing to do with me, Jamie. Every day, I see you becoming more and more like Aaron. I thought you wanted to be a good person?"

"I'm trying to be. Just because I have one little sip of beer, doesn't mean that I'm automatically somebody else." He didn't even know what she wanted to fight about anymore. "Mads," He took a step closer to her.

"No," she let out a sigh and took a step back from him.

"What is it? What do you want me to do? Do you want me to apologize to you, to Chuck?" He asked her, knowing that he should go and talk to Chuck, even though he was drunk and probably wouldn't remember what Jamie had said. Madison would remember everything.

She shook her head again. "This is stupid. We don't fight. We never fight about anything."

Jamie scratched the back of his neck. "I know we don't. We've known each other forever."

Madison nodded. "Maybe that's the problem."

"What?"

"I care about you, Jamie. You know that and I like the boy you grew up to be but, let's face it. We're just each other's safety nets and when we start to be different, we get scared. I know that I do and I've noticed that you do, too. You pretend more about it than I do and I don't want you to." She explained.

"So what are you trying to say? You want to break up?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Maybe we just need some time to think about where this is going and if we we even love each other more than friends. It's almost been three years and we've never told each other we loved each other or even had sex yet. That has to mean something and I want to know what that it and if I'm wasting my time."

"Madison," Jamie couldn't find the words to say to her. He had spent all of his life knowing her and he never knew about these feelings that she had. Maybe she was right.

"I think that's what we both need. Are you okay with that?" She asked him, biting her lip.

_No. I don't know. _All Jamie could do was stare at her. This was going to be his first break up and it was going to be with one of his best friends. That is, if that's what they even were anymore.

Madison walked over to Jamie and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you around, Jamie."

Jamie watched as Madison walked back over to the house. It didn't take long for the other girls from the squad to find her.

* * *

><p>"How was the party?" His mother asked him when he walked through the door. She sat on the couch and waited for him to come home, like she always did. Her hair was still long and blond.<p>

"It was fine." Jamie mumbled. All he wanted to do was crash down on his bed and try to sleep off the misery that he was feeling.

Haley Scott stood up and walked over to her oldest child. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. "You're father and I are very proud of you. You played you're heart out and there's nothing more that we could have ever wanted for you."

Jamie nodded. His parents told him that every chance they could. It never bothered him much because he wanted his parents to be proud of the choices that he made. Since he was four, Jamie looked up to his father and wanted to be just like him. There was never a moment where Jamie thought that his father wasn't the greatest person he had ever known. His love for sports wasn't just because his father was the best in high school or because he made it to the NBA. Sports were always fun for him and he enjoyed the fact that he got to share that with his father.

"Are you sure you're okay?" His mother asked him. "You don't seem like you just won against the team that stood in the way for your undefeated title." His mother gave him a knowing look.

Jamie shook his head. "I'm just tired, that's all. I was just going to go to bed, if that's okay."

Haley nodded as she let him go. "All right. Don't forget to say good night to your sister. Lydia's been wiating for you ever since we got home." She said with a laugh.

"Yeah," Jamie told her as he walked towards the stairs.

His mother was truly an amazing woman and he wasn't afraid to say it.

Opening the door a crack, his eyes took in her pink walls in the darkness. A small ballerina nightlight lit up one corner of her room. Jamie quitely walked into his sister's room. He sat on her bed, hoping not to startle her.

Lydia's light colored hair sprawled over her pillow. She was wearing her favorite ruffled princess pajamas. Slowly, her eyelashes fluttered against her skin. Her blue eyes opened and she scanned around her room. A toothy smile spread on her face when she relazied that her brother was home.

"Jamie!" She quickly sat up and crawled over to hug him.

"Hey, Squirt." Jamie joked as he picked her up to have her sit on his lap. "Did you miss me today?"

Lydia nodded her head rapidly. "Mommy and Daddy told me that you won! You made the shot to win!" She was always excited to hear about her brother being a hero.

Jamie let out a chuckle from his sister's enthusiasm. She was always a energetic girl and loved her older brother. "Well, I hope my biggest cheerleader will come to my games soon."

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Why not? Davis and Jude are there and always asking where you are." Jamie told her.

"I know. Mommy tells me that, too. I just think basketball's boring. Are you made at me?"

"I could never be mad at you, Squirt." Jamie stood up and lifted up Lydia. He plopped her down on the bed and she giggled. Jamie finished tucking her in by pulling her blanket over her. "My hobbies don't have to be your hobbies, okay? Do whatever you want to do that makes you happy."

Lydia nodded again. "I love you, Jamie."

"I love you, too Squirt." He kissed her forehead and walked out of her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Once in his own room, Jamie kicked off his shoes. He had another long day of school, the game, and the party. He never wanted to take it easy. All he wanted to do was get good grades and be the best player he could be for the team.

Looking over to his alarm clock, he reached over to grab his cell phone off the end table. He dialed the number of the person who he could always count on.

_"Hello?" The voice asked, confused._

"Very funny, you dork." Jamie chuckled quietly.

_"I try. How was your game? I'm sorry I had to miss it."_

"We won. I scored the winning basket, of course." He said with a playful smile on his face. His smile grew when he heard her laugh.

_"Of course you did. You were always a fireball on the basketball court. Now, why are you calling me so late?" She asked him with a yawn._

"I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. "I just got back from a party at Aaron's." He shifted on his bed to get more comfortable. Jamie could talk to her for hours.

_"I be that was a blast. He always knows how to throw a good party, not that I would ever be invited to one."_

Jamie shrugged. "You never know. Aaron knows that you're one of my best friends and maybe you will if you show up to one of our games, then he would."

_"And have Queen Madison get upset because I'm hanging around with you for the entire night? I don't think so. She already thinks that something is going on between us." She explained to him with a scoff._

When it came to Madison, she didn't want any other girl to be around Jamie. It wasn't that she was a possessive girl. She just didn't want to lose Jamie after knowing him for so long. Jamie knew how easily she would get jealous and he always reminded her that she had nothing to worry about. Everything would go back to being normal between them until, another new insecurity set Madison off.

During junior high, a new girl named, Emma Marshall moved to Tree Hill. She had light brunette hair and dark blue eyes. Her parents moved to North Carolina from Cleveland, Ohio. The first few weeks, she didn't have an easy time fitting in and Jamie couldn't blame her. She barely talked to anyone and when she did, it was quiet. He was pretty much forced to get to know her when they were assigned to be lab partners in science class. At first, it was awkward because Jamie was hoping to be Madison's partner for the year or Chuck's, who was his best friend. Emma was actually a really nice girl and opened up easily to Jamie. Madison wasn't too fond of them always spending time together but, she accepted it for Jamie.

"Yeah," Jamie said softly.

_"Uh-oh, something happened with Madison, didn't it?" Emma asked him._

She knew him without even having to see his face. Emma had a knack for understanding human nature. She had high hopes for going to college to study communications and humanity. Jamie often made jokes about it her because he didn't think that she had to go to school for that.

"We just got in a fight and she broke up with me. I mean, I'm not too surprised. We've been friends forever and thought that we should give dating a try. I guess it was bound to fade after knowing her forever. Then again, I don't feel like I do anymore." Jamie explained to her as he let out a sigh.

_"I'm sorry about that, Jamie. I really am. Even though, I can't remember a time when Madison was the girl you said she was."_

"You didn't know her when we were growing up." Jamie still found himself defending who Madison used to be and probably always would. Just because she was different, doesn't mean that Jamie wouldn't always care about her.

_"Maybe she'll get over it and call you tomorrow. You'll be a couple again before you know it." She told him with hope._

"I don't know, Em. She was really upset this time." he didn't blame her because he was becoming something different. As much as he tried to fight it, he just couldn't help but want to be _that_ guy, the one his father used to be and the one Jamie promised he never would be for his parents.

_Another yawn escaped from Emma's lungs. "Listen, I'm really tired and I have to wake up early tomorrow. My parents are taking me for some college visits. I'll call you when I have some room to breathe, okay?"_

"Yeah, sure." Jamie told her disappointedly.

_"Hey, this isn't the end of the world, you know." She told him. "You're James Lucas Scott and I haven't seen him fail at anything."_

He smiled. "Thanks, Em. I'll let you catch a few hours of sleep." He hung up and rubbed his hand over his face.

If only people knew that it wasn't as easy as it looked being James Lucas Scott.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>This story was inspired by the series finale, which I loved. All the scens with the characters from the first seasons and moments from early on were amazing. I also loved when they all sang the theme song together. In the last scene, I was hoping to get to see jamie's face but, I was still happy about how it all came together.

I don't have a set length for this yet. Jamie is a junior and is 16. Lydia will be around 6. I hope you enjoy this story and _Painting Flowers_ will be updated soon.

Please Review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The first thing Jamie did when he woke up was check his phone to see if he had any messages from Madison last night or this morning. He had some trouble falling asleep because he couldn't help but wonder what Madison was thinking about or what she was doing. Part of him actually agreed with her that they needed time to think about things. Sure, they were both growing up but, did that mean that they had to grow apart? He had told her that he wasn't the only one changing.

He couldn't believe that he was letting Aaron talk him into doing things that he normally wouldn't do, especially underaged drinking. His parents would have a fit if they learned about what he had done. Maybe they would be lenient on him since they've told him about that they used to drink and it was his first time ever doing so.

There was nothing from Madison or anyone else. He placed his phone on his bed and closed his eyes again.

"Jamie! Jamie!" Lydia ran into her brother's room and jumped on him. She began shaking the bed as she excited cheered that it was time for breakfast.

Jamie let out a groan. "Lydia, get off me." Jamie let out a groan as his sister got off his back. His hand rubbed over his face, wishing he had locked his door.

"Mommy made smiley pancakes! Let's go!" Her little hands pushed at his side to get him to sit up. It didn't matter how hard she tried to push because Jamie wouldn't budge.

He remembered how much he used to get excited over his mother's homemade breakfasts when he was Lydia's age. She would make her special pancakes just because she knew how much he loved them. His dad would always try and sneak his bacon smile but, Jamie knew that he really wouldn't. It was just another one of the games they would play. His mom always got a kick out of watching them. There were times when he wished that he could just go back to being a kid again.

"I'll be down in a few minutes, Squirt." Jamie told her, not wanting to keep Lydia. He felt his bed shake again as Lydia stood up and walked over his bed to climb off.

When he heard her footsteps run out his room, Jamie buried his face in his pillow. The last thing he felt like doing was getting up early after last night. Sharing meals together was something that his mother valued and he loved his mother too much to try and hurt her.

After finally decided to get up, Jamie slid on a clean t-shirt and pair of basketball shorts. When he left his room, the scent of the fluffy golden cakes and bacon engulfed his senses. Tiredness still simmered in the teen but, his stomach woke up to the message that food was in his reach.

He entered the kitchen to see his mom putting her final touches on Lydia's breakfast. After his mom placed the bacon on the pancake, she placed it in front of her. She kissed Lydia on the cheek and turned back to the stove. His father was sitting next to her, reading the paper that lay flat on the counter. He looked up when he saw Jamie.

"We thought you weren't going to come down. Party too much last night?" Nathan joked, hoping that his son didn't. When Haley finally came to bed last night, Nathan felt at ease knowing that Jamie was home. He didn't want Jamie staying out all night and returning in the morning like he used to. That had added more conflict to the relationship he had with his parents. That wasn't what he wanted with his own son.

Jamie let out a quick chuckle. "I'm just tired from last night's game. My legs are a bit sore." He explained as he sat on the other stool that was next to his sister's. His eyes traveled between his parents.

"You should be. You played one," Nathan paused to cover his daughter's ear. All she did was giggle and try to squirm away. Jamie's hand went behind her back to make sure she didn't fall backwards, "hell of a game last night." He took his hands off of his daughter. "You're name's already in today's paper." Nathan lifted it and passed it over to Jamie.

_"'The game was tied in the final quarter with only nine seconds left on the clock. The Tree Hill Ravens', number 12, James Scott took control of the game, racing down the court to score the final and winning shot of the night. After last night's game, the Ravens are now the only team undefeated in their division. Next week they play the Clayton Comets to see who will be the division champions. The team who wins will be one step closer to being in the state championship at the end of the season,'" _Jamie read aloud. A smile formed on his face at the thought of playing in a huge stadium, like his father did.

"This is big. I was a senior when we made it to the championship game. You're only a junior and achieving the chance to see a state championship game." Nathan told Jamie, full of pride.

"Do you think we're going to get there? If we lose early in the playoffs, we're done until next season." Jamie remembered that his father and uncle held that same fate.

Nathan shook his head. "You'll be fine."

Haley shook her head and smiled as she finished making Jamie's plate. Basketball was still a hot topic in the house. It didn't bother her too much because it was something that Nathan and Jamie were excited about. She could ask for nothing more from the two men in her life that she loved. "I know it's childish but, I still wanted to make something special for you."

Jamie looked down at the plate. In all the years that he had eaten his mother's breakfast, nothing had changed. He looked up and smiled at his mother, who smiled back. "It's perfect." He picked up his fork and cut a piece. He put it in his mouth, savoring the buttery taste.

"What are your plans for the weekend? Are you going to be seeing Madison?" Haley asked. She was finally able to sit down and enjoy her morning coffee.

The last thing he wanted to do was discuss his girlfriend with his parents. He knows that if he ever needed to talk to them that they would be there. For some reason talking about relationships made Jamie feel uneasy. He had no clue what his parents were assuming he was doing when he was with girls. He wished his parents didn't think about those kinds of this at all but, he did want a relationship like they had. He knew how much his mother had changed his father. His father loved her for everything and it showed everyday.

"I don't think so." Jamie shrugged.

Haley turned her head to look at Jamie. The tone of his voice worried her. She knew Jamie and Madison spent anytime together they could. Now, days would pass before she would see Madison around. She didn't want to butt into her teenage son's life but, if something was bothering him she wanted him feel comfortable enough to talk to her and Nathan.

The only sound in the kitchen now was of Lydia scraping her fork around her plate. She was trying to draw pictures with her leftover syrup. Jamie wished he could still be able to ignore the problems in life and be in his own little world.

He did have one place that made him feel connected to that younger version of himself and even his father. It was weird to him that he had somewhere so simple that could make him forget anything that was causing him stress. He'd spend hours there just playing ball. Sometimes he played games just for fun with his friends or he was there alone, shooting out his frustrations.

He finished his plate, ruffled his hand in Lydia's hair, and stood up to put his plate in the sink. "I'm going to go to the River Court for a few hours." He walked around back to where his family sat to kiss his mom on the cheek to thank her for breakfast.

"Okay," Haley told him. When he wasn't in hearing distance, she turned to her husband. "What do you think is up with him? Could it be Madison?"

Nathan shrugged. "It could be. What was he like when he came home last night?"

"He just told me that he was tired. I just let it slide because he did have a long day yesterday. I don't why it would be because of her because they seemed pretty happy at the game." Haley was starting to think of what could have her happy and positive son so down.

"We've had our fair share of drama at parties, Hales. He'll be fine." Nathan reassured her.

Lydia slid off her chair and followed him. "Can I come with you, Jamie? Please?"

"I've got her." Nathan told Haley. He stood up, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder, and went over to lift up his little girl. "How about you and me spend some time together today? I'm all yours, what do you say?"

Lydia looked in the direction where Jamie left and then back to Nathan. The answer was simple. "Okay!" She wrapped her arms around Nathan's neck and hugged him tightly.

* * *

><p>Like every single time, the ball went right into the net. It came to the point where Jamie barely had to try. His form just became a natural movement. When he was around five, his father had taken him to the River Court for the first time and Jamie was nowhere close to being able to reach the basket. His father or one of his friends, usually lifted up Jamie so he could get the ball in the net. They would all cheer and make a big deal out of it. Back then he didn't know any better and was as proud as they were.<p>

The ball bounced off the concrete and all Jamie could do was just watch it. He sees a pair of sneakers walk into the grass. Looking up, he saw the spiky blond hair of his best friend. Chuck picked up the ball and walked towards Jamie.

"I'm sorry about last night." Jamie was sorry for so many things when it came down between his best friend and the rest of the team.

Chuck nodded. "It's fine. There's always one stooge on the team and I guess that has to be me." He shrugged as he shot the ball. It went it and rebounded back to Jamie, who caught the ball.

Jamie shook his head as he held the ball under his arm. "No, it's not. You've been my best friend since we were kids and I should have stuck up for you." He took the ball from under her arm and started to dribble. It was the only way for him keep himself from getting worked up from the guilt.

"Listen, I heard about you and Madison. She called me this morning and told me what happened. It's not so bad. Look at me, I was drunk off my as last night and I'm fine now. There's no way that she'll be mad with you about this forever."

He dribbled the ball harder and stopped, catching the ball firmly in his hands. Madison called Chuck? Why would she call Chuck instead of him? he shook all the emerging thoughts of jealousy from his mind. He knew that he had nothing to worry about because Madison and Chuck's feelings only went as far as friends. The rationalization wasn't as convincing this time because that's how it used to be between him and Madison.

"I don't think she really wants to break up with you. Madison's just confused right now." Chuck added.

"Yeah? If she is, then she could call me and we can talk things out." Jamie stopped dribbling to shoot the ball into the net again.

"Just give her some time. She'll call you when she's ready to and she's tell you what's really bothering her." Chuck caught the ball as it bounced back.

Jamie nodded, "I hope so."

"Dude, I know so. You and Madison are going to be together forever. You'll be high school sweethearts, go off to college together, and get married and have kids. The entire school knows that will happen."

Was that really their fate? Were they really that predictable? Jamie started to think of what the future would be like if that was true. Madison would be the only girl that he had ever dated or be with. He didn't think he was really ready for a full time commitment to her yet. Sure, they've dated for almost three years but, he's never told her that he loved her. He did love her as his best friend. The question was, was he in love with her as the girl that he could spend the rest of his life loving?

Chuck passed the ball back to Jamie, causing him to snap back.

"Are you okay?" Chuck asked him.

"Yeah," Jamie waved it off. "How about a game of one on one?" He checked the ball over to Chuck.

* * *

><p>The scenery was always so calming to him. Sometimes Jamie found himself strolling the streets of downtown Tree Hill just because of the solitude he felt. Each small business seemed full of life when he glanced in the windows and seeing smiles on people's faces. At night, the town felt more alive, especially on game nights. Buildings were decorated with streamers and signs, residents were extra cheerful, and children and teens would head to the high school in groups. It was chaotic but, so heartwarming.<p>

He loved all of the support for the team and the game. It was great to be apart of something like that.

His phone rang in his pocket and he pulled it out to see a picture of him and Emma. Emma was purposely wearing a ridiculous hat that she once found in the mall and Jamie was laughing at her.

"I'm guessing that you were able to get away from your parents?" He asked, putting the phone to his ear.

_She let out a chuckle, "surprisingly, yes. They're busy asking the group leader every question under the sun. I feel sorry for the guy." _

Jamie let out a small laugh of his own. "I just can't believe you are already looking at colleges. Your parents do remember that you're only a junior, right?" He joked.

_"It's not a bad idea to start scouting around early, Jamie. Not all of us have great athletic ability that gets us scholarships." _

"I haven't had any offers yet." He wasn't too focused on impressing any scouts yet. Jamie was still trying to impress his team. His winning shot last night seemed to be getting him closer. Plus, he didn't really know which college that he wanted to play for yet. His father only mentioned a few great schools that had outstanding stats and told Jamie that whichever one he picked had to be because it felt right to him.

_"You will." She stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "So, what have you been up to today? Have you heard from Madison at all yet?"_

"No, not yet." While he was at the River Court, Jamie tried his hardest to not think about his phone. He wanted to call Madison and talk to her but, something was telling him that giving her that needed space might make her know that he respected her and her wishes.

_"What exactly happened anyway? I just don't understand how Madison would just break up with you out of the blue." _

"I was playing beer pong with some of the guys. I was making every single shot on Chuck and he couldn't get one in. Then he did and it was my turn to drink. it wasn't much and I didn't really want to because I know it's not right. Aaron was egging me on and I didn't want to look like a wuss so, I drank it."

_"Jamie."_

He could already tell that Emma was a little disappointed in him. It didn't sit right because she knew how badly Jamie would have these inner conflict about right and wrong or being just like his father. Sometimes before talking to his parents about things, he would try and get to Emma first. His mother would probably sound more disappointed than she was. The guilt from last night would be on another level.

"That's not all. Aaron made some crack at Chuck and I agreed with him. Madison stormed off and I followed her. She started talking about how I've changed and how we're just together because it's safe." Jamie shrugged as he kept walking.

_"You can't let Aaron keep getting to you. I know that you want to seem like you fit in but, you can lose a lot because of that. As much as I can't stand Madison, is she one of those things that you want to lose?" _

"I don't know."

_"Well, what do you want?"_

"I just want to stop thinking about it all together. When do you think you'll be home?"

_"At this rate," she paused, "some time around tonight."_

Jamie nodded. "You should come over tonight and we can hang out like we usually do."

_"I'll talk to my parents about it. This conversation isn't over, Jamie Scott. You can't try and change the subject on me." She playfully warned him. _

"I never thought I could. I'll see you tonight, Em."

Jamie hung up, wishing that he knew how to handle things. There was so much that he did want to tell Emma but, he wanted to tell her when she was around because there was only so much help she could give him over the phone.

He continued walking until he made it back to his house. All the way back Jamie fought over whether or not to just call Madison already. he was set on leaving her be until Chuck told him that she called him but, then he thought about how Madison would feel if she found out that the first person he called was Emma. They were both in the same boat of confusion and unneeded jealousy.

"I'm back!" Jamie announced as he kicked off his shoes. He was expecting Lydia to come running from where ever she was and jump on him and start talking really fast about her day. he sees his dad playing with Lydia in the pool. Instead, he came home to nothing. He began to wonder where they would have gone without calling him. Then he could hear faint sounds of splashing and laughing.

He headed towards the backdoor and walked outside. His sister was standing on the edge of the pool and his father was in the pool with his arms open. Jamie decided to wait until Lydia was done to talk to his father. He sat down on one of the lounge chairs and watched them, remembering the day that he got over his fear of swimming in the pool.

"Are you ready, Daddy?" She asked as she bent down and swung her arms back and forth.

His father sent her a hug smile and motioned to her that he was ready to catch her. Lydia took a few steps backwards to get a running start before leaping in the pool and making a splash when her legs hit the water.

"That's my girl!" Nathan lifted her higher. His smile grew when he heard her innocent laughter, before he brought her back down in the water again.

"Again! Again!" Lydia slapped at the water as he let her go. She was a real fish in the water as she swam over to the stairs. She grinned when she saw her brother. "Did you see my jump?" She asked him as she jumped up.

"Careful, Lydia." Nathan spoke up. The last thing he wanted to see was Lydia slip on the wet concrete and hurt herself.

"I sure did. You're a natural." He tickled her stomach.

"Swim with us!"

"Maybe later, okay?"

She nodded and then went to play on the pool stairs.

Nathan walked over to the edge of the pool. "So how was your therapy at the River Court?"

"Therapy?"

Nathan nodded. "It wasn't that hard for us to figure out that something was bothering you this morning. You do know that whatever it is, that we're here for you?"

"I know. I just wanted to get out of the house and clear my head."

Nathan looked over to Lydia to make sure that she was still in his sights. Then he brought his attention back to his older child. " Your Uncle Lucas did that a lot, too, and I never understood why he cared so much about that place until I found myself drving there after fighting with-"

"Grandpa Dan, I know." Jamie told him softly. He missed his grandpa everyday and wondered if he ,too, would be as proud of him as everyone else was. "You fell in love with the River Court because of the solitude it brought you."

Nathan let out a chuckle. "I guess I've told you that one before. So how'd it go?"

"It was fine. I shot around for a half hour before Chuck showed up and then talked for a bit. Then we played a quick game of Twenty-One."

"How's his game? I didn't really see him get too much time in during games." Nathan asked. Listening to Jamie, he turned when he noticed Lydia swimming towards him. When she reached him, he picked her up and rested her in his side.

Jamie scratched his neck. "He's alright, I guess. I beat him by a few baskets. I think if he puts more attention into playing and not getting frustrated when he makes a mistake, then he could be a great player."

Nathan nodded, understanding now why the coach didn't always play Chuck. Like Jamie, Nathan knew that Chuck had an interested in sports. Chuck was more into playing baseball than basketball and he wondered why he decided to tryout for the basketball team, if his heart wasn't truly in it. "He'll get there."

Jamie shrugged. "Maybe. So, where's mom?"

"Oh, Brooke called her and asked her to help her out and set up for her next sale. Brooke asked for me to come with but, I've got Lydia today." He shifted his weight as he motioned to Lydia.

"Daddy and I are spending all day together. We went for ice cream and then to the park." Lydia explained to him.

"Your mom shouldn't be too long. Then again, Brooke has a knack for going overboard." Nathan joked as he placed Lydia to sit on the edge of the pool.

"Okay, I'm going to take a quick shower." Jamie pointed back to the the house from over his shoulder. He stood up and began walking back inside.

"Hey, Jamie," Nathan waited for Jamie to turn to him, "It will be okay. Whatever is going on with Madison, it will be fine." Nathan told him with confudence.

Boy, was he sick of hearing that old line today.

"Thanks," was all he could say. "Before I forget, Emma's going to stop by later."

Nathan watched as Jamie walked back inside. It didn't matter how much he knew because nothing could ever prepare him for what happened in Jamie's life. All he could do was be there for him. He wasn't the best when it came to relationship issues, especially for teenagers, because he knew that it was something that Jamie had to experience for himself.

"Catch me, Daddy!"

Nathan whipped his head to see Lydia running towards the pool again. He lifted out his arms, knowing that he would always be there to catch her.

* * *

><p>Jamie opened the door and walked inside. He drove over to Emma's to pick her up. Emma followed him inside, took off her shoes and set her purse on the floor. He guessed that his mother was now home from work because he could smell dinner being prepared. If she wasn't, his father would order pizza or takeout.<p>

"Hi Emma!" Lydia shouted over to her and waved from the kitchen table.

"Hey Lydia. Hi Mr. and Mrs. Scott." Emma greeted, staying in the entrance.

"Hey, Em. I told you that you can just call me Haley." Haley told her as she continued cooking. "Did you eat already? There's plenty of food here if you'd like to join us."

Emma looked over to Jamie for reassurance. She didn't know if he felt like eating or if he wanted her to join them. When he nodded, she told them that she would love too. She walked into the kitchen and sat down next to Lydia.

Jamie watched as Emma took her natural place with his family. She fit in and got along with them so well. Lydia loved when Emma came by because Emma would play games with her and then they would both gang up on him. He never found it annoying. If Aaron saw what his home life was like, then he would probably reconsider Jamie as a starting junior for the team.

"It should be ready in a few minutes." Jamie heard his mother tell her when he walked into the kitchen. He handed his father's car keys back to him.

"You didn't speed or listen to your music too loud did you?" Nathan asked him. "If you get a ticket and your coach finds out he's not going to let you play in the next game. It's a big one."

Jamie nodded. "I didn't and I know that. Emma wouldn't let me go a mile over and she wouldn't let me touch the radio." He sent Emma a look and let out a small laugh when she rolled her eyes.

"It's great to know that my son lets girls boss him around." Nathan joked.

"Nathan." His wife scolded.

"What? He knows that I'm kidding around."

Jamie laughed. "Yeah, it's fine. I mean, you boss Dad around and he listens to you all the time." Jamie elbowed his father.

"Me, too!" Lydia's voice shouted.

The rest of them laughed.

"That's right, you, too." Nathan leaned over and kissed his daughter on the top of her head.

"I thought Scott men were supposed to be strong?" Emma asked Haley.

"That's just what they say." Haley looked over to Nathan. "They really are, if you think about everything they've been through." She turned back to what she was doing. After a few minutes the pasta noodles were ready.

Jamie had helped his mother get out plates and pass food around to everybody else before taking his own. He sat down next to Lydia, who saved a chair just for Emma next to her. Throughout dinner, Lydia had fun telling Emma and her mom how she jumped into the pool without having to use a lifejacket or water wings. Haley and Emma acted really surprised and were excited over her accomplishment. Lydia then suggested that they all go swimming after dinner so she could show them. That would have to wait for a later day.

"Jamie mentioned to us that you're already college hunting." Haley mentioned after swallowing her last bite of food.

"Yeah," Emma handed her empty plate to Jamie. "I wanted to get a head start before all of the hype and stress kicks in. I'm hoping there's a few scholarships I can apply for."

"I'm sure it will all work out for you. I don't see a problem for you getting accepted into any school." Haley told her.

"Thanks. My parents are going nuts about all of it already. It's like they're the ones who are looking for a college to go to for the next few years." Emma stood up to help Jamie clean up. She took Haley and Nathan's plates.

She walked over to the kitchen and set the dirty ones in the sink.

"Let's head upstairs." Jamie suggested, jerking his head in the direction of the stairs. He looked over to his father, hoping that he didn't mind. His parents both knew that Emma was just his friend but, they were still his parents and they had their rules about being alone upstairs with a girl in his room.

"Just remember to leave your door open." Nathan told him.

"I know, Dad. Come on," He told Emma.

"Thanks again for letting me join you guys for dinner. It was really good." Emma said before following Jamie.

"You're welcome in this house anytime." Haley told her as she helped Lydia clean her face. She had gotten spaghetti sauce all over her face and clothes. She asked Nathan to help Lydia get ready for a bath so she could finish up in the kitchen.

Before they could get gassed the door, they heard the doorbell ring. Jamie looked to Emma and raised his brow. He had no idea who would be visiting the house at this hour. If it was anybody that they knew, they would call the house first.

Emma shrugged. "Just answer it, I guess."

Jamie opened the door. "Madison?"

At first, he wasn't really sure that he was seeing her. There she was standing at his doorstep at night wearing her cheer sweatshirt and looking scared. Jamie looked over his shoulder to look at Emma. She had walked back into the kitchen to see if Haley needed any more help.

"Can I talk to you?" Her arms were crossed. When she asked she wasn't looking at Jamie. Her eyes were set on Emma.

"Um, yeah." Jamie walked out of the house and closed the door behind him, making sure to leave it unlocked. He stuffed his hands in the pocket of his own sweatshirt as he began to follow her away from the door. "What's going on?"

She let out a sigh and then a nervous laugh. "I came by to talk to you about yesterday. Maybe I was being a little irrational. It was our first bigger fight and I overreacted. I know how much the team means to you Jamie."

He looked at her, shocked that she seemed to have forgotten that the party ever happened. "Does that mean that you want to get back together? I don't want to be one of those couples who fight, break up, and then get back together all the time."

Madison nodded. "I don't want to be that way either." She stopped walking. "There's just something that I'm not that comfortable with."

"What? If it's the drinking, it wasn't more that a few sips worth and I apologized and worked things out with Chuck earlier." He wanted to mentioned to Madison about her calling Chuck but, he knew there was no point in fighting over something else that wasn't even a big deal.

Madison smiled. "I'm glad that you talked to Chuck. It's not about that or the drinking. If we're going to get back together, I want you to spend less time with her."

Jamie look at her with more confusion. "Do you mean Emma? Emma's one of my best friends, you know that." Jamie explained. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from her all of the sudden. Why hadn't she mentioned anything to him before?

"I do but, it's the way that it looks that bothers me." She told him.

He knew it was all innocent but, her view made sense to him, too. Jamie didn't know if he could let a person like Emma out of his life. he looked back to Madison, who seemed impatient about his answer.

"You don't have to agree with me right away. I'll see you at school Monday, okay?" She stepped up on her toes and kissed Jamie on the cheek. Her lips lingered on his skin for a few seconds before she backed away.

"We're good together, Jamie, and I'd be a fool to let you go over something like this." She told him. She walked back over to his house to get into her car.

Jamie walked back into the house after Madison drove away. All the time in-between he was just stunned. That same morning he was checking his phone, hoping to hear from Madison. Now, she was there, wanting him back and he didn't know if he should give up his friendship with the girl he talked to every day or a relationship that he had with his best friend of almost ten years.

He looked up from the floor to see Emma standing there. She was staring at him, too, with her dark blue eyes that were brighter when the light reflected off of them in a certain way.

"Do you want me to go?" She asked him.

If she did, there was the possibility that she;d be gone forever. For now, Jamie decided to just throw aside what Madison had proposed. He wanted to spend time with Emma today. he wanted to tell her about his new perception of Chuck and Madison. That was all gone. He just wanted Emma to be around him until he had to face reality on Monday, where his peers were going to be waiting to see if the relationship between the upcoming star of the basketball team and the cheerleader was going to last.

Jamie shook his head. "No, you can stay." He walked away, hoping that she was still following him up the stairs.

"So are you two getting back together?" Emma asked him when she walked into his room. She placed her purse on his bed and sat down on it.

Jamie plopped down to lay on his bed. He stared straight up at the ceiling. "I think so."

"That's good! See, I told you that you had nothing to worry about. Now, why am I detecting unhappiness still? I thought you wanted to be with Madison?" She hated talking about her but, she was a part of Jamie's life.

He didn't answer right away. What was he supposed to say to her? He didn't have the heart to tell her that she was the deciding factor over whether or not he and Madison were together again.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go?"

"I'm sorry. My head's just somewhere else right now. Do you want to watch a movie or something?" He asked her, rolling onto his side to face her.

She shook her head. "I want to go home. It's obvious to me that something Madison said to you is bothering you. You usually have no problem opening up to me and I want to help you, Jamie. You just have to trust me and talk to me."

"It's not any of that, Em." he told her, a bit annoyed with how things were turning out.

"I'll just see you at school. Could you take me home?"

Jamie wasn't going to try and convince her to stay anymore. He had to figure out what he really wanted because he doubted he as going to be able to balance both. _See you Monday, _was the only thing he could think about as he grabbed the keys to his dad's car and forced his shoes on his feet.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Thanks for reviewing the last chapter. I'm really excited about writing this story that I spent all weekend typing up chapters for it. I hope you contiue to enjoy it and that this chapter wasn't too long. All your feedback is awesome!

(if you get another alert for this chapter, it's because I'm re-reading again because I'm finding new mistakes)


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